What makes your sugar drop

Unplanned excess physical activity without eating enough can also cause a drop in blood sugar levels. When the body is trying to get rid of alcohol it becomes worse at managing blood sugar levels. Some other causes of low blood sugar include:. If you experience low blood sugar often — say, a few times a week — see your doctor right away to determine why. They will perform a physical examination.

These include:. Your doctor may send you home with a blood glucose meter — a small, handheld blood testing device — to track your blood sugar over time at home. They will give you instructions to test your blood sugar during certain times of the day, such as after waking up and after eating meals. To perform a blood sugar test, you will need to prick your finger with a lancet provided in your blood glucose test kit.

Be sure to treat it right away. Use the tips for eating 15 grams of carbohydrate described above. Test again in 15 minutes, and if your blood sugar is not increasing, treat with another 15 grams of carbs. If your blood sugar remains unresponsive, contact your doctor or emergency services right away. When in doubt, treat. When your blood sugar levels are too low, eating something made of carbohydrates is key. If you have diabetes, try to keep high-carbohydrate snacks on hand.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that your snack have at least 15 grams of carbohydrates. Some good snacks to keep on hand include:. These are available without a prescription. Aim to get 15 to 20 grams of carbohydrates. Wait 15 minutes after eating or taking a glucose tablet, and test your blood sugar again. If your blood sugar is not going up, eat another 15 grams of carbohydrates or take another dose of glucose tablets.

Repeat this until your blood sugar level starts to rise. If your regularly scheduled meal is not for a while, eat a small snack after the low blood sugar episode.

These medicines help take the sugar out of the blood and get it into the body's cells, which makes the blood sugar level go down. But sometimes it's a tricky balancing act and blood sugar levels can get too low. People with diabetes need to keep their blood sugars from getting too high or too low. Keeping blood sugar levels in a healthy range means balancing when and what they eat, and when they exercise with when they take medicines.

Also, some things may increase how quickly insulin gets absorbed into the bloodstream and can make hypoglycemia more likely. These include:. If you have diabetes, try to remember how your body reacts when your blood sugar levels are low. It may help you figure out when you're having a low blood sugar level more quickly the next time.

The warning signs of hypoglycemia are the body's natural response to low blood sugar levels. When blood sugar levels fall too low, the body releases the hormone adrenaline, which helps get stored glucose into the bloodstream quickly.

This can make someone:. If the hypoglycemia isn't treated, more serious symptoms may happen, such as drowsiness, confusion, seizures, and loss of consciousness. The only way to know for sure if you're having a low blood sugar level is to test. Blood sugar levels can be tested with a blood glucose meter. This computerized device measures and displays the amount of glucose in a blood sample. But if you can't quickly check your blood sugar level, it's important to treat yourself for hypoglycemia immediately to prevent symptoms from getting worse.

Sometimes a person with diabetes may have symptoms of low blood sugar levels, but blood sugar levels are not actually low. This is a called a false reaction. The hormone adrenaline mentioned above is not just released when blood sugar drops too low — it's also released when blood sugar levels fall quickly when they're too high.

If you're having a false reaction, you might actually have blood sugar levels in a healthy range but feel as if you have low blood sugar. Hepatitis is an inflammatory condition that affects the liver. Having hepatitis can prevent the liver from working properly. If the liver cannot produce or release enough glucose, this can cause problems with blood sugar levels and lead to hypoglycemia.

Problems with the pituitary gland or adrenal glands can cause hypoglycemia because these parts of the body affect the hormones that control glucose production. If a person has a problem with their kidneys, medication can build up in their bloodstream. This type of buildup can change blood sugar levels and lead to hypoglycemia.

Tumors in the pancreas can cause the organ to produce too much insulin. If insulin levels are too high, blood sugar levels will drop. A person with hypoglycemia may develop a headache or pass out lose consciousness.

If a person has hypoglycemia often, they may stop experiencing symptoms. This is called hypoglycemia unawareness. To diagnose hypoglycemia, a doctor first asks a person about their symptoms. If the doctor suspects hypoglycemia, they may perform a blood test. However, everyone has a different base blood sugar level, and the measurement that determines hypoglycemia can vary. According to research from , the best way to treat mild hypoglycemia is to:. A non-diabetic hypoglycemia diet can help keep blood sugar levels balanced.

The following tips can help to prevent hypoglycemia:. Medical Review: E. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.

Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. Top of the page Actionset. Introduction Low blood sugar hypoglycemia occurs in people with diabetes when the sugar glucose level in the blood drops below what the body needs to function normally. If you are pregnant, your baby could be harmed. Low blood sugar can develop if you take too much insulin, do not eat enough food or skip meals, exercise without eating enough, or drink too much alcohol especially on an empty stomach.

You can usually treat mild—and sometimes moderate—low blood sugar by eating something that contains sugar. You should teach your friends and coworkers what to do if your blood sugar is very low. How to deal with low blood sugar emergencies Here are some ways you can manage low blood sugar.